The Traditional Musician Mindset vs The Modern Musician Mentality

Today, the old rules and standard operating principles governing the 20th Century dynasty that was the traditional music industry-­seem about as archaic as Dialup internet. Do you remember looking forward to hearing those three special words after the aliens had connected with the mother ship and granted access to the odd patch of digital space-which still felt new and exciting? YOU’VE GOT MAIL! Yet it was not that long ago that AOL discs, 56K modems, and personal telephone lines were the primary tools used to access the information superhighway... It can be a trip to look back on how far we’ve come, and in such a short period of time­ to boot. The difference between the high speed connection we’re now used to accessing, sharing, connecting, and archiving our digital lives through ­is the most appropriate analogy I can think of for the difference between the mindset and career operating systems employed by Modern Musicians in our modern music business, in contrast to that of traditional musicians operating a traditional music business.

There are only two types of Artists and Musicians in the modern world.

The first (the Traditional Musician) believes, hopes, relies, waits for someone to swing down from the sky and like a genie, instantly create the success, fame, and good fortune they've vaguely dreamt of... They generically imagine a distant goal of big­time pop success, performing for 100,000 people at madison square garden. Piles of money, fame, lights and things that shine. They don't think about it much more than that. They don't exactly know why they want that, nor do they have an idea of how they'll get there. They fall for what we call the Magic Carpet Myth­ and secretly pray that the hand of god­ or even the goodwill fairy disguised in a designer suit will swoop down, take care of business for them, and free them to a care­free fate where they don’t have to do anything more than what they are doing now. The second type of musician, the modern musician - believes that the success or failure of their career remains in their own hands. They hustle and prepare, set realistic goals, build a plan and CREATE opportunities! When they achieve their success ­they aren't surprised, and enjoy a greater sense of victory and satisfaction knowing that it is something that can't be taken away from them. Their success was merely the result of deliberate consistent action towards a clear and realistic target. Even if you have unrealistic goals, you can always break it all the way back down to clear and realistic targets that you have to achieve. Some people think life happens TO them, and some think they make can their life happen. Modern musicians understand that life is working FOR them, and they attract their highest intentions. Musicians are smart. Very intelligent people. Abstract creative beings who love to wax philosophical about all kinds of things that make for interesting forum discussion, heated debate, yet largely remain outside of our immediate control.

Modern Musicians achieve Optimal Performance and Focus on their Main Moves

Modern Artists become optimal performers. They manage their time and attention like the top 1% who seem to multiply time and resources. They discipline themselves to focus on their Core Focus Activities, (what we call their Main Moves) high value activities and factors within their control, instead of things they cannot control or add no value to their career and communities. The fundamental difference between the traditional musician and the modern musician comes down to an internal value system that underpins the very structure and operating principles of how they grow their career. Modern Musicians believe that their security, their freedom, their fulfillment, their sense of peace and purpose comes from and remains within their control. Though there isn’t anything particularly “wrong” with either approach, I encourage you to question many of the assumptions, beliefs, and ideas that you may have about your “job” as a Musician in our new economy, and what it will actually take to achieve your dream career on a very practical level­ in our evolved economic landscape. This is the Modern Artists Revolution. It’s the opposite of the gatekeeper driven crapshoot called the traditional music industry, and it’s how the power found it’s way back into the hands of the people, the Artists and Musicians, as well as their fans.

The Artists Revolution

The Artists Revolution has birthed the next evolution of artist and musician, the Modern Musician. Artists and Musicians in the Modern World who operate at a different level. Who understand the rules of the new game to grow their music career in the music industry, who have developed the right mindset, who’ve developed their Entrepreneurial Skill­set and mastery over their tools. The Modern Toolset. They easily recognize opportunity everywhere they go, have complete control of their destiny, their musical content, and the income they create with their content business. Who’ve declared their independence as Artists/Musicians in the Modern World, over the lifestyles they design, and the projects they choose to take. Modern Musicians all over the planet have embraced a core set of principles (knowingly or not) and find themselves on the leading edge of culture and communication in our global community.

From traditional musician mentality, to modern musician mindset.

In the old world, the Traditional Music Industry, the massive amalgamation of manpower, tools, technology, touch points, and overhead now reduces down to little more than an internet connected home recording studio with a few web service accounts.

In the modern music business we operate and grow our career in Projects and Campaigns.

In a completely connected world, everyone gets a voice. This is the beautiful opportunity for each and every artist on the planet.

The web is simply an extension of your brand across the global community.

Today, the marketplace, the platforms and communities where your potential fans hang out ­is the digital equivalent of your locale.

The good news is that now you are not limited to your own geographic location or budget to reach new fans...

But It can be overwhelming and sometimes seemingly hopeless when you think you need to generate huge numbers, have a massive hit, carry more than you can hold just to get in the game... So why try right!?

Well, let me tell you that you don’t need to give in to that myth. It’s a lie. It’s part of all the reasons your mind will come up with for why something won’t work, it’s designed to keep you right where you are at, and to disempower you from advancing and getting the fruits of what you truly deserve.

You Gotta Get Your Mind Right First!

The first breakthrough to getting your mind right in the modern music industry is in making the shift from a limited, everything is just stuck the way things are, Starving Artist mentality... to an expansive thinking, innovative, solutions focused Modern Artist mentality.

Embracing the additional roles and responsibilities enables us to see the expansive menu of additional opportunities available to Artists in the modern music business.

Like everything, it starts with getting your mind right first, integrating different ways of thinking, and cultivating the ability to see the world through new lenses.

However, being able to see these opportunities is just the beginning. Acting on and experiencing these results requires the active development of new skills.

In noticing more perspectives and developing the modern musician skill-set, you'll begin to recognize very practical ways to add more value in, with, and for your Content Business.

That's the heart of what making these upgrades-from the inside out, is all about. Developing your ability to add more value in, with, and for your Music Business. (Which is really more than just musical content these days, which is why I prefer the term Content Business)

Part of my mission is to inspire and rejuvenate the fresh, expansive capacity to use your creative mind, your unique gifts and talents to develop and better utilize that unlimited value creation device that rests between your earlobes.

As I mention in the Music Business Manifesto (free report-found below) http://modernartistblueprint.com as a practical case story for what this looks like, in order to embrace the additional opportunities available to Artists in the Modern Music Industry, Johnny needed to embrace the additional roles and responsibilities required to take advantage of them. Namely the key roles and responsibilities as the leader of his team, and tribe of fans and followers. The Major breakthrough Johnny made happened when he consciously, and fully accepted responsibility for being the CEO of his content business. He was no longer just running a band, he was leading their content business. He was now the creator of his fate, and the designer of his lifestyle, he became a self ­reliant professional.

He committed to mastering the tools of the modern creator, the modern toolset, (the communication formats, the distribution channels) starting with applying our Game Plan, and the prescribed regimen of Music Marketing strategies we had mapped out.

We stripped away the fat, and condensed the Sams-club-­size selection of possible actions, goals, and priorities down into an intelligently designed roadmap for doing exactly what he needed to be spending his time doing.

His MAP. His Game Plan.

Modern Musicians Focus on Their Main Moves

We develop mastery at a few high leverage, core value activities that will propel you forward with ever increasing inspiration and momentum.

We build a team to support our weaknesses and the things that drain us. Modern Musicians go from DIY (Do it Yourself) to DIWM (Do it WITH ME) by leveraging the power of global collaboration.

Getting your mind right starts with learning the Fundamentals of Grassroots Career Development, building a rock solid Foundation, learning how to leverage the tools and resources, developing a core fan base and multiple revenue streams.

We work our way from from the bottom up, one connection at a time, focused on the CORE, growing our assets (content, skills, platform, relationships) through consistent micro-progression.

Modern Musicians Break free from traditional music business models, focused on fame and celebrity, becoming a vicarious fantasy/secretive/hidden/illusive star…. From distanced show and tell…. To inviting our audience to share the journey together with us… Truly caring about our fans and engaging them directly through interactive conversation. What we call modern music/content marketing.

You see traditional artist development was the problem. Traditional musicianship is Codependent, on a weak, unclear foundation, living in the old economy, playing the old game of traditional music biz, often directionless with fuzzy unfocused goals and usually unwilling to try anything differently. Thinks like a wage worker or union member. Short term, just for today, often enduring the creative growth traps we call starving artist syndrome and like-a-holism. Outside in, traditional artist development, develops an incomplete skillset, without a game plan, and achieves traditional success. Hands over control of the their career and rights. Acts more like an employee than an entrepreneur Sacrifices freedoms and autonomy. Operates on outdated infrastructure with disconnected systems, processes, and teams. Often overloaded, disorganized, easily distracted, off balanced and undisciplined. Traditional artists are defined by other things vs seeking self actualization in their thoughts, feeling and action. Modern musicians live the modern musician lifestyle They focus on what they want and achieve their dreams. The new game, the modern music business is the grassroots from the ground up create your own slice of paradise. Fast, direct to fan, inside out, artist and people centric, wide spectrum of personalized experiences. Access centric content businesses. Flowing and growing. Self Reliant, on a strong, clear foundation, and creates OWN economy, playing the new game called modern music biz, leads projects and team with an active vision and clear direction, and commits to a lifelong pursuit of content, career, and self mastery. Modern Musicians achieve focused and clear goals time and again with solid progress tracking, optimal support and accountability. They master their universe from the inside out. They get it right at the source. They commit to and do the inner work required to flourish long term. Thinks long term, achieves self actualization, like an enlightened entrepreneur, Establishes their global UVP. and creates own economy from independently grown wealth. Oversees and manages career operations and delegates tasks Earns and enjoys complete creative freedom and autonomy in their ideal lifestyle. Operates on upgraded state of the art infrastructure with a fully integrated career operating system to manage their projects and keep their team and fans on the same page. Develops a fully integrated creative and technical fluidity Achieves a centered, dynamic, balanced mind body and soul to fully express itself long term Modern musicians are optimal performers and true self actualizers Modern Musicians embrace their awesomeness and master their universe from the inside out. Are devoted to achieving and fulfilling their full potential Achieves optimal productivity and workflow Builds a strong foundation on an optimal career infrastructure Modern musicians love learning Modern musicians develop their values and belief systems into their foundation Modern musicians learn to grow their power through raising their vibration and excelling in the world Modern musicians use all they have to achieve and become all they desire The Modern Musicians Lifestyle is all about the journey and the seasons playing the GAME, Creating your slice of paradise, creating your own economy Modern musicianship includes modern artist development, modern music marketing, and modern content business management It includes music business coaching which is a combination of Grassroots career development and optimal performance coaching It’s developing the modern musician skillset, the modern musician habits and the mindsets to become your best self and live your best life. A life centered around flow. Being in the zone. Full presence with clarity and focus. Developing your genius. Trackable and accountable. It’s about living in powerful states and managing yourself like a pro. Its about one of mastery and continuous learning and transformation. Connecting to our genius states and getting into flow. With our thinking, our writing, our speaking, exercise, performing, and with our relationships We Show up and we play full out = focused mind and focused heart. Connecting to and coming from our heart Develops their super-powers - masters their main moves Proactive Creating new content every day Blissipline - Disciplined habits and thinking for operating your career Optimal performance Passion for learning Champions mindset The Creators paradise Based on values and principles Live into their blueprints Integrated thinking

If you haven't already claimed and read your free copy of the Music Business Manifesto, please do so below to learn how an Artist named Johnny applied all this to take his career, his income, and his lifestyle to the next level.

Download your copy to see his transformation to Music Business Liberation and Learn How To Go:

From co-dependent and reliant on outside forces, playing by the old rules, to declaring your independence and living by the new rules as creator of your own economy.

From looking for a deal or approval from a gatekeeper, to building your career and fan-base using what you've got going already.

From victimized, helpless, apathetic, depressed, hopeless… to renewed, in control, re-energized, taking responsibility, being accountable.

From primitive thinking, old world, luddite, you do the marketing and all that stuff, to integrating the modern toolset into the creative process + expression of your art/brand. Using leverage as a key to take your career operations to the next level.

From Top Down traditional musician thinking, inefficient, impersonal, expensive… To…. Bottoms Up thinking, planting seeds, grassroots authenticated career development, the organic growth ripple effect.